Following the success of the DVD Drama Resource “A Costly Subject” the Top Ten Women’s Drama Group presented the project as a play in the Guildhall which was hosted by the Mayor, Councillor Elisha McCallion.
“A Costly Subject” is aimed at reaching older or more vulnerable people in the community to teach them about the growing problem of scams and other elder financial abuse. “I am delighted that our DVD Resource of A Costly Subject will now be presented as a drama performance and will engage our peers at first hand with the issues.” said Group Secretary and performer Stella McBrearty.
The drama group was also responsible for the highly successful bogus callers project “Don’t …be my guest” in 2011/12. This DVD resource is still in use today by the Policing and Community Safety Partnership.
'A Costly Subject' focusses on several types of scam and financial abuse:
(1) An investment scam; (2) Competition or mass market scam; (3) A Credit card scam; and finally, (4) Family financial abuse.
The scenarios have been devised by the Top Ten Women’s Drama Group under the direction of Mary Fitzpatrick and Sinead Devine. “It is wonderful to see the women utilise their dramatic skills to help support their peers” said Sinead Devine.
The project has been funded and overseen by the Derry and Strabane Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP). Speaking in advance of the performance, Councillor Eric McGinley, , Chairperson of the Derry and Strabane PCSP, said
“The Derry and Strabane PCSP is delighted to support this production which will, no doubt, raise much needed awareness of elder financial abuse and give an insight into the many scams that are currently in circulation. In 2013 the PCSP secured funding from the Department of Justice under the Assets Recovery Scheme to produce the DVD and I am delighted that we were able to provide additional support this year for the drama production. Often, these scams target the older generation and it is fantastic to see the talented Top Ten Women’s Drama Group bring examples of these scams to life to enable older people to recognise the dangers and avoid becoming victims of financial abuse. We would hope that the project will help increase confidence in older people by tackling and reducing the fear of crime”.
Please contact the Old Library Trust on 028 71373870 for further details on The Top Ten Women’s Drama Group.
'A Costly Subject'
A Play about Financial Abuse by Top Ten Women's Drama Group